Chapter 15 - The Secret KeptMidnight arrived with a gentle, warm sea breeze drifting through the open balcony doors of the master suite.
Tessa stood by the stone railing, looking out at the glittering lights of Naples stretching along the black horizon. The heavy silk gown had been replaced by a soft white robe, her long hair falling loosely over her shoulders.
Quiet footsteps sounded behind her. Damian stepped onto the balcony, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her back against his broad, warm chest. He rested his chin softly against her shoulder, breathing in the scent of jasmine and ocean air from her skin.
"What are you thinking about?" Damian whispered, his deep voice vibrating against her back.
Tessa leaned back into his embrace, placing her hands over his arms. "I was thinking about nine days ago," she murmured softly. "I was a girl drowning in debt, dragging a cleaning cart down a corridor, terrified of tomorrow."
"And now?" Damian asked, turning her gently in his arms so she faced him beneath the moonlight.
"Now I'm standing on a balcony with a man the whole world fears," Tessa smiled, reaching up to gently trace the sharp line of his jawline with her fingers. "And I'm not scared at all."
Damian looked down at her face, his dark eyes filled with an overwhelming, reverent warmth. He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers in a slow, deep, possessive kiss that tasted of sweet wine and promises meant for a lifetime.
When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers, holding her tight against his heart.
"You saved my mother's mind, Tessa," Damian breathed softly into the quiet night air. "And in doing so, you saved my soul. This estate, my life, everything I own... it belongs to you."
May you like
Down on the first floor, in Room 104, Beatrice Costa slept peacefully in her bed, her breathing steady and undisturbed by shadows.
And high above on the third-floor balcony, the maid who had quietly changed everything held the heart of the most powerful man in Italy—a secret keeper no longer, but the undisputed queen of the Costa estate.
Related Stories
